Well Managed Plantations

Over the next few decades, tree plantations are likely to expand on a large scale to meet growing demand for timber, paper, fuelwood and other biomaterials. Carefully designed and managed plantations in the right places can benefit people and lessen the pressure to harvest the world’s remaining natural forests. Share your ideas on WHY well managed plantations are important and HOW to promote it.

Plantations carry potential risks and benefits, depending on their placement and management. WWF’s Living Forests Model suggests that a projected 250 million hectares of new tree plantations are needed between 2010 and 2050 to meet increasing demand, so the potential impact of plantations is significant.

Well managed plantations in the right places can help conserve biodiversity, protect natural forests and meet human needs while contributing to sustainable economic growth and local livelihoods. Plantations should not replace natural forests or other important natural ecosystems but rather be focused on degraded land, while safeguarding the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. Plantations should also maintain ecosystem integrity, protect and enhance high conservation values, be developed through effective stakeholder involvement processes and contribute to economic growth and employment.